JP2882817B2 - Automatic rice cooker - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to an automatic rice cooker.

<Prior Art> An automatic rice cooker that automatically processes a series of work processes such as storage, measurement, washing of rice, water control, rice cooking, and heat retention of milled rice by a predetermined program is well known.

Some of the conventional automatic rice cookers have an automatic check function for checking an initial state of a weighing device, a rice washing device, a rice cooker, etc., between turning on the power and pressing a start switch (for example, See JP-A-59-181113).

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> However, the above-described conventional device merely checks the initial state, and if each device is not in the initial state, a human must restore the original state. It was very inconvenient.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic rice cooker that solves the above-mentioned problems.

<Means for Solving the Problems> In order to achieve the above object, the present invention employs the following means. That is, a feature of the present invention is that in an automatic rice cooker that includes a weighing device, a rice washing device, and a rice cooker, and that automatically weighs, rinses, and cooks rice, the start switch is turned on after the power is turned on. It is characterized in that a control device is provided for checking the initial state of the weighing device before pressing it, and for returning the weighing device to the initial state when it is not in the initial state.

<Operation> According to the present invention, when the automatic rice cooker is turned on, the control device checks the initial state of the weighing device. As a result of the check, if the weighing device is not in the initial state, the control device controls the weighing device to return to the initial state. As a result, the weighing device is in the initial state, and the start switch can be pressed.

<Example> Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

1 and 2, 1 is a box-shaped main body,
A rice storage 2 for storing rice is housed inside the main body 1 so as to be freely pulled out in the front-rear direction.

In the lower part of the rice storage 2, the first upper part is separated vertically.
A sensor 3 and a lower second sensor 4 are provided. The first and second sensors 3 and 4 constitute a detection device for detecting the remaining amount of rice in the rice storage 2, and each of the sensors 3 and 4
Is turned on (ON) when rice is detected, and turned off (OFF) when rice is not detected.

A metering device 5 for discharging a predetermined amount of rice in the rice storage 2 is provided below the rice storage 2. The measuring device 5 includes a measuring drum 6, a motor 7 for driving the drum 6 to rotate, and an encoder 8 for detecting the amount of rotation of the measuring drum 6.
Consisting of

Below the weighing device 5, a rice washing device 9 for storing the rice discharged from the weighing device 5 and washing the rice is provided. This rice washing device 9 is also provided so as to be able to be pulled out from the main body 1. This rice washing device 9 includes an inner tank 10 and an outer tank 11.
And a stirring means 13 in the rice washing tank 12.
Is provided. The stirring means 13 is driven to rotate by a rice washing motor 14.

A rice discharge port 15 is provided below the rice washing tank 12, and the rice discharge port 15 can be opened and closed by a rice discharge valve 16. This rice drain valve
16 has a rod 17 projecting upward, the upper end of the rod 17 is engaged with a rice discharging valve cam 18, and the rice discharging valve cam 18 is driven to rotate by a rice discharging valve cam motor 19. The rotation of the cam 18 causes the rice discharge valve 16 to move up and down.

As shown in FIG.
The drain port 20 is covered with a mesh of a predetermined mesh. A drain 21 is connected to the drain 20, and the drain 21 can be opened and closed by a drain valve 22. The drain valve 22 is opened and closed by a drain solenoid 23. The inner / outer tank 1
An overflow path 24 is formed between 0 and 11, and this overflow path 2
4 communicates with the drainage channel 21.

A water supply pipe 25 for supplying water to the inner tank 10 is connected to the rice washing tank 12.
A water supply solenoid valve 26 for turning on and off the water supply and a flow meter for controlling the water supply amount are provided in the middle of the pipe. A nozzle 27 is provided at the tip of the water supply pipe 25.

Water is supplied from the nozzle 27 to the inner tank 10, and the rice discharge valve 16,
When the water supply is continued with the drain valve 22 closed, the water in the inner tank 10 overflows from the upper end of the inner tank 10 and flows to the overflow passage 24. Above the rice washing tub 12, a full water sensor 28 that detects when the water supply is full
Is provided.

A rice cooking device 29 is arranged below the rice washing device 9. This rice cooker 29 has a slide 30 in two stages, upper and lower, which can be moved in the front-rear direction by a slide motor 31. The slide 30 can be pulled out to the front of the main body 1. Rice cooker 32 on this slide 30
Is placed.

The rice cooker 32 is an electric type having an inner pot and an outer pot, has a heat retaining function and the like, and has a lid 33 which can be opened and closed. The lid 33 is locked by a notch 34, and when the notch 34 is unlocked, the lid 33 is automatically opened by a built-in spring. The lid 33 has a pressure discharge port 35 so that the internal vapor can be discharged.

The high-power circuit of the rice cooker 32 is connected to the main body 1 through an outlet 36, and the control circuit slides the rice cooker 32.
The connection is established via the optical connection means 37 by placing it in the fixed position of 30.

The main body 1 is provided with a lid opening / closing device 38 for the rice cooker 32. The lid opening and closing device 38 includes a first link 39 pivotally supported by the main body 1 so as to be vertically swingable, and a first link 39.
A lifting / lowering motor 40 for swinging the first link 39, a second link 41 pivotally supported by the first link 39 so as to be vertically swingable,
It has an opening / closing motor 42 for swinging the link 41 and the like, and the lid 33 of the rice cooker 32 is opened by pushing the notch 34 of the rice cooker 32 with the claw 43 at the tip of the second link 41. is there.
The rotation amount of each of the motors 40 and 42 is controlled by a rotation sensor.

An exhaust duct 44 for discharging steam from the rice cooker 32 to the outside is provided between the rice cooker 29 and the rice washing device 9,
One end of the duct 44 opens to the main body 1, and an exhaust fan 46 is provided near the opening 45.

Incidentally, reference numeral 47 shown in FIG. 4 denotes a lock device. The lock device 47 locks and positions the rice storage 2 and the slide 30 of the rice cooker 29 in the inner part of the main body 1 so as to be freely detachable. Things. The lock device 47 has an upper lock plate 48 for locking the rice storage 2 and a lower lock plate 49 for locking the slide 30 rotatably.
48 and 49 are linked and connected by a connecting rod 50, and the connecting rod 50
Is moved up and down by the lock motor 51.

Incidentally, 52 is a sensor for detecting the position of the rice storage 2, 53 is a sensor for detecting the position of the rice washing tank 12 of the rice washing device 9, and 54 and 55 are sensors for detecting the position of the slide 30 of the rice cooker 29. .

FIG. 5 shows a console panel 56 provided on the front of the main body 1, which is divided into zones of course selection, time setting, and rice cooking start, and each zone has a menu selection switch 57 and a rice cooking amount selection. Switch 58, cook selection switch 59, rice washing adjustment switch 60, hour switch 61,
Minute switch 62, Time setting switch 63, Reservation setting switch 64, Reservation switch 65, Normal switch 66, Start switch 67, Cancel switch 68, Heat on / off switch 6
9, a power switch 70 is provided.

Reference numeral 71 shown in FIG. 1 denotes a control device. The control device 71 uses a microcomputer, and automatically controls the rice cooking process by operating each switch on the console panel 56.

Next, the control by the control device 71 will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS.

First, in FIG. 6, when the power switch 70 is turned on (ON), power is supplied to the automatic rice cooker, and the control is started. Then, first, the current time is displayed on the display section of the time set zone of the console panel 56. If the current time is incorrect, press the time setting switch 63 (O
N). When the time setting switch 63 is turned on, the process proceeds to the “time setting” process. FIG. 9 shows a detailed process of “time setting”.

If the time display is correct, the time adjustment switch 64 is not operated, so that the switch 64 is in the OFF state, and the program proceeds to the next “cooker state confirmation” step.
FIG. 10 shows the detailed process of this “confirmation of rice cooker state”.

Next, the "rice storage amount check" is performed while the normal switch 66 or the reservation switch 65 is ON. The details of the rice storage check process are shown in FIG.

Next, an “initial state check” process is performed,
This is shown in FIGS.

Next, a lock device that locks the rice storage 2 and the slide 30
A “pedestal lock” process for operating 47 is performed. The details of this step are shown in FIG.

When the gantry lock is completed, each indicator lamp on the console panel 56 blinks in the previous course state. That is, the memory of the control device 71 is configured to store the previous course even if the power is turned off, thereby preventing wasteful selection of the course each time.

Next, the processing is divided into two types depending on whether it is normal rice cooking or reserved rice cooking.

In the case of normal cooking, the display lamp of the normal switch 66 is blinking. “Course selection” is performed in this blinking state. The details of the “course selection” step are shown in FIG.

In the course selection, if the previous course is to be used as it is, the start switch 67 may be turned on. When the start switch 67 is turned on, the display lamp of each course which has been flashing until now switches to lighting, and FIG. Proceed to the illustrated “rice cooking process”.

In the course selection, when a course different from the previous course is selected, each course is selected according to the procedure shown in FIG.

Note that "time adjustment" can be performed even after the course is selected. After the course is selected, if the user wants to change to another course, he can press the cancel switch 68 to start over from the beginning.

Next, the processing when the reservation switch 65 is turned on (ON) will be described.
The process proceeds to the "reservation process" shown in the figure. After setting the reservation time and selecting the course according to the reservation process shown in FIG. 17, by pressing the start switch 67, when the reservation time comes, the process proceeds to the “rice cooking process” shown in FIG.

Next, the rice cooking process shown in FIG. 7 will be described. When the rice cooking process is started, the remaining time is displayed on the time display section of the time set zone of the console panel 56. Then, the indicator lamp of “under washing rice” in the cooking rice zone is turned on.

Next, the “weighing step” and the “rice cooker lid opening step” proceed in parallel.

When the measuring step is completed, the process proceeds to a rice washing step, a water adjusting step, a rice discharging step, and a rice cooker lid closing step.

Details of the weighing step, the rice washing step, the water adjusting step, and the rice discharging step are shown in FIGS. 18 to 21. The details of the rice cooker lid opening step and the rice cooker lid closing step are shown in FIG. 22 and FIG.
This is shown in Figure 23.

Next, when the rice cooker lid closing step is completed, the display lamp of “under washing rice” is turned off, and then it is determined whether or not “cooking” in the menu. Then, in the case of cooking, the lock device 47 is released in order to insert the ingredients (a gantry lock release step). Details of the gantry lock release step are shown in FIG. Then, after putting the ingredients in the rice cooker 32, reset the rice cooker 32 and press the start switch 67,
The “frame lock” process shown in FIG. 15 is performed, and “cooking rice”
Indicator lamp lights up.

On the other hand, in the case other than "cooking", when the display lamp of "washing rice" is turned off, the display lamp of "cooking rice" is turned on, the exhaust fan 46 rotates, and the rice cooker enters the rice cooker process and the rice cooker process. Upon completion, the exhaust fan 46 stops, and then the gantry lock release process starts.

The rice cooking and rice drying process is controlled by a control circuit provided in the rice cooker 32.

When the gantry lock is released, a warming step shown in FIG. 8 is started. In this warming process, first, by voice, "cooked up" is uttered, "remaining time" turns off,
The “cooking” lamp is also turned off, and “reservation” and “normal”
Lamp goes off.

Next, it is determined whether or not the menu is "porridge", and in the case of "porridge", no heat retention is performed. Then, in the case of “porridge”, the power switch 70 is finally turned off to stop all outputs, and the process ends.

On the other hand, if the menu is not “porridge”, the warming step starts.

In this warming step, even if the rice cooker 32 is taken out of the main body 1, the rice cooker 32 maintains the warm state. Then, the heat retention state is stopped when the heat retention switch 69 is turned off or when the rice cooker 32 is reset to the main body 1.

In other words, by adopting such a heat retaining step, even when the rice cooker 32 is detached from the main body 1, the heat retaining state can be maintained, and delicious rice can be eaten. Also a rice cooker
When 32 is reset to the main body 1, it is impossible to determine whether the heat retention is continued or empty, so that the heat retention is stopped to prevent erroneous operation.

FIG. 25 shows a subroutine of "porridge".
FIG. 16 shows details of the “porridge” process, and FIG. 26 shows details of the error processing step.

Although the above is a brief description of the automatic rice cooking process, the present invention is characterized in the “initial state confirmation” process shown in FIGS. 12 to 14, and will be described in further detail.

First, according to FIG. 12, it is determined whether or not the rice cooker 32 is placed at a predetermined position on the slide 30. This determination is made based on whether the optical connection means 37 is correctly connected. When the rice cooker 32 is not set, a voice saying "Please place the rice cooker correctly" is produced. If the rice cooker 32 is correctly placed, it is next determined whether there is an inner pot.

Next, it is determined whether or not the rice storage 2, the rice washing device 9, and the rice cooking device 29 are set at correct positions. These determinations are made by the respective sensors 52, 53, 54, 55.
If the setting is not correct, a voice saying "Please reset the drawer" is uttered.

Next, according to FIG. 13, it is determined whether the measuring drum 6 is at the initial position. This determination is made by the encoder 8. If it is not at the initial position, the weighing drum 6 is rotated by the motor 7 and returned to the home position.

Next, it is determined whether or not the slide 30 is at the initial position. If not, the slide motor 31 moves the slide 30 to the home position.

Next, it is determined whether or not the lid opening / closing device 38 is at the initial position. If not, the motor 40 is driven to return to the initial position. Then, as shown in FIG. 14, it is determined whether or not the lid opening / closing device 38 is at the rice cooker lid closed position. If not, the lid is returned to the initial position by the opening / closing motor 42.

Next, the initial position of the rice discharge valve cam 18 of the rice washing device 9 is determined. If it is not at the initial position, it is returned to the initial position by the rice discharge valve cam motor 19.

Next, the water supply solenoid valve 26 is turned on and off to check the flow rate of the water supply.

Thus, the confirmation of the initial state and the setting of the initial state are completed.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

<Effects of the Invention> According to the present invention, not only the initial state is checked from turning on the power until the start switch is turned on, but also the setting of the initial state is performed, which is convenient and convenient. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of an automatic rice cooker showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front sectional view of the same, FIG. 3 is a detailed sectional view of a rice washing apparatus, FIG. FIG. 5 is a front view of the console panel, FIGS. 6, 7, and 8 are main flow charts showing the operation of the control device, FIG. 9 is a flow chart of time setting, and FIG. Flowchart, Fig. 11 is a flowchart for checking the amount of stored rice, Figs. 12 to 14 are flowcharts for checking the initial state, Fig. 15 is a flowchart for locking the gantry, Fig. 16 is a flowchart for selecting a course, and Fig. 18 is a flowchart of the weighing process, FIG. 19 is a flowchart of the rice washing process, FIG. 20 is a flowchart of the water adjusting process, FIG. 21 is a flowchart of the rice discharging process, and FIG. 22 is a rice cooker lid opening process. The float Over bets, the flowchart of FIG. 23 as cooker lid closing process, the flow chart of FIG. 24 stand unlocked, FIG. 25 is a flow chart of porridge, 26
The figure is a flowchart of the error processing. 2 ... rice storage, 3 ... first sensor, 4 ... second sensor, 5 ... weighing device, 71 ... control device.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Sadao Fukushima 90 Mizuhashi, Higashiosaka-shi, Osaka Daiwa Seiko Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-3-90110 (JP, A) JP-A-1 -170423 (JP, A) JP-A-59-181113 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) A47J 27/00-27/64

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An automatic rice cooker comprising a weighing device, a rice washing device, and a rice cooker, wherein rice is automatically weighed, washed, and cooked.
An automatic rice cooker comprising: a control device for checking an initial state of the weighing device, and returning the weighing device to the initial state when the weighing device is not in the initial state.